The Serpents Hold | Ominis Gaunt

Chapter Twenty-Two

The Gaunt Estate flashed green as Nova rammed her body into Ominis.

The forked bolt of emerald lanced from the tree line, its heat blistering Nova's skin as it narrowly missed her shoulder and cleaved a deep crater into the earth. Molten grit and wisps of smoke snaked through the air as they lay winded on the ground, carrying with it the searing radiation of the killing curse that permeated their lungs.

Her chest was on fire; she couldn't perceive which way was up, but the bite of gravel slicing into her palms assured her she was alive. She reached a trembling hand towards Ominis, his name escaping her lips in a raspy cough.

Confirmation of his survival came in the form of a hoarse "Depulso."

He was ripped from under her fingers as she was propelled towards the Manor, but someone intercepted his spell, and Nova was wrenched to the ground—her skull cracking against the marble steps outside the boundary of the wards.

A shadow slithered closer to where Ominis lay, hacking up lungfuls of smoke.

Nova clenched her teeth against the agony flaring up her spine and brandished her wand, hurling an incendiary hex in the direction of their assailant.

The golden orb streaked past the attacker as they parried to the left, offering a fleeting glimpse of Lady Gaunt's twisted face before it detonated in the thicket behind her. Flames eagerly devoured the dry leaves and began creeping into the dense foliage, the flickering blaze exposing two more figures closing in.

"You've stolen everything from me, you foul rat!"

A boot stamped down on Ominis' wand as he fought to raise it. He choked out an incantation that hacked through his mother's Achilles tendon, and she shrieked in pain as her leg crumpled beneath her.

Nova's vision swam as she fought against the tide of unconsciousness threatening to drag her under. She clawed back to the surface, spurred on by the sound of Ominis calling her name.

"I'm... here," she gasped, each shallow breath accompanied by something grating inside her chest. A veil had descended over her eyes, casting the world in a crimson haze. She palmed at it and felt warm, slick liquid trickling down her wrists, saturating the fabric of her hospital pinafore. "Ominis?"

"Get inside."

He swayed to his feet while deflecting an onslaught of stunning spells closing in on him from all three assailants.

A diffindo tripped past his defences and cleaved his kneecaps. A sharp cry ripped from his throat as he fell to his knees, blood pooling in the scattered pebbles beneath him. Before he could muster the strength to dodge, a stunner found its mark—blasting into his shoulder, and Ominis slumped, defeated, at the knees of his mother.

Nova's grief-stricken scream raked up her scorched throat.

She was in agony.

All they suffered had been for nothing.

They should have stayed in the Room of Requirement, starved to death as Ominis had warned her they would. At least it would have been on their terms. Together.

She had been drowning ever since she awoke to his note, alone.

But those words, they had been the only thing keeping her from sinking deeper.

Nova,

Leaving while you sleep is not easy, but if you ask me to stay, I won't have the strength to resist.